Recycled water for drought relief
There is significant interest within Victoria for using tankers to supply reclaimed water (water from sewage treatment plants). This interest reflects the increasing restrictions on our water resource and that reclaimed water provides a defined quantity and quality of water that, with some management controls, is suitable for a wide range of uses. For the majority of reclaimed water in Victoria, these uses include dust suppression, watering council parks and gardens and agricultural irrigation such as for cattle grazing.
To assist other water authorities and their potential customers develop drought relief schemes, EPA has prepared an information bulletin and accompanying protocols. The information bulletin describes the management framework that will be required for a drought relief scheme, while the accompanying protocols provide examples of end use protocols. To ensure appropriate management controls are in place, drought relief initiatives should be discussed with the EPA regional office during development and have an EPA endorsement prior to commencement.